Deadline looms, House approves campaign finance bill

October 29, 2009

With time running out, the Illinois House late Thursday approved a measure that for the first time would put major restrictions on how politicians pay for their campaigns in the wake of the impeachment and indictment of disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The bill moves to the Senate for an expected vote Friday before the legislature adjourns.

The campaign finance legislation, which passed the House 66-49, would limit how much money individuals and special interests can give to candidates and requires those donations to be reported to the public much more frequently.

In at least one area -- curtailing the ability of powerful legislative leaders to influence House and Senate races -- the latest measure is not as strong as a previous version of campaign finance reform that Quinn vetoed in August at the urging of reform advocates.